Op stratiidon



{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. S. FORBES.

CONDENSER.

No. 604,823; Patented May 31, 1898.

(No Model.)

0. S" FORBES. 2 8heets-Sheet 2.

CONDENSER.

Patented May 31, 1898.

llai 7 -2 UNITED STATES FFi'CE.

PATENT CDNDENSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 604,823, dated May 31,1898. Application filed November 18, 1897. Serial No. 659,038. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES STEWART FORBES, baronet, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, residing at Castle Newe,Strath don, in thecounty of Aberdeen, Scotland, haveinvented anew and useful Improvementin Condensers, of which the followin g is a specification.

My invention consists in improvements in condensers employed fordissipating or cooling steam or vapor, the object I have in view beingto construct a condenser of larger surface Within a much smaller spacethan heretofore and to enable the same to be easily taken to pieces forcleaning or renewal and rapidly rebuilt.

The construction and operation of my invention will be readilyunderstood by reference to the. accompanying" drawings, in which aFigure 1 is a part sectional view of my improved condenser on line A B,Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is an inside view of coverplate,looking in the direction of arrow, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view ofcover having gills. Fig. 5 is a view showing the tie-rod used as a uide.Fig. 6 is a part sectional view showi llg incased condenser with fan forinducing draft. Fig. 7 is an end View of circular form of condenser.Fig. 8 shows a cruciform piece of gauze or perforated plate. Fig. 9shows a plate supported by the tiebolts. Fig. 10 shows air-currentinduced by steam-jet. Fig. 11 shows air-current induced by connectingtoflue. Fig. 12 shows a condenser immersed in water. Fig. 13 shows aperforated metal plate.

In the drawings, 1 represents the end plates or covers. These arepreferably made of thin cast or wrought iron, copper, gun-metal,aluminium alley, or other metal which is a good conductor of heat, andthey may be advantageously cast, shaped by pressure, or otherwise formedwith gills 2. (See also Fig. 4.) Lugs 3 are formed as shown,-and throughthese tie-bolts i are passed and fitted with nuts and washers 5. Aninlet-hole 6 is formed in one end plate and an outlet 7 in a suitableposition in the other, the exhaust or steam pipe 8 being connected tothe inlet 6 and connection made with the hot-well, condensedwater tank,or the like by pipe 9.

The inner face of both the end plates or covers is preferably recessed,as at 10, and in this is fitted a thick: washer 11, formed of lead,pewter, or otherscit mel.al,'orit maybe made of rubber, rubber cloth,asbestos, or equivalent compressible or resilicn t material. Leaves orpieces of perforated metal or gauze 12, formed of copper, plain, tinned,or otherwise coated, aluminium, or other suitable metal, are cut so asto covcror clear the outside edges of the washers, the ends projectingbeyond the tie-rods and washers in one or both directions. A washer fromon e-eighth to one-quarter of an inch or more in thickness is placedbetween each gauze leaf or per forated sheet, and in order to keep themin position lugs 13, grooved as shown, engage with a special guide-rod14 on either side, or the washers may be so formed as to engage with thetie-rods, (see Fig. 5,) or the rods may pass through the plates, as inFig. 9.

It will be readily understood that my invention enables a condenserformed as described to be very readily constructed, as it is merelynecessary to add washers and gauze leaves or plates until the requiredcondensing-surfaceis obtained. The nuts or threaded bolts replacing themare then screwed up until the vessel thus formed is both air and steamtight.

Should grease or other adherent matter be carried into the condenserwith the steam and clog the leaves, one or any of them can be quicklyremoved and cleaned or replaced by simply slacking back the nuts orbolts.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Steam being admitted to thecondenser through the inlet 6 encounters the gauz' or the perforatedplate replacing it, which rapidly absorbsthc heat and by conduction fromwithin outward dissipates the same, tlnair circulating through theprojecting loaves sufficing to keep the temperature of the plates orleaves comparatively cool. Uomlcnsalion of the steam is prompt andcomplete, the :011- densed vapor trickling down the wires forming thegauze or the plates, as the case may be, further accelerating it. Inordinary positions and at normal temperatures condensatiou may besatisfactorily effected by the air circulating through the projectingleaves, as described. There are, however, cases in the water beingpumped through or over the may immerse the condenser entirely or partlyin water which is or is not cooled artificially,

lamina as seen in Fig. 12. In Fig. 7 I have shown a condenser ofcylindrical shape; but it is obvious that I may modify the shape inseveral ways to suit varying conditions. The size of mesh employed inconstructing gauze condensers is dependent in a measure upon thediameter or area exposed.

It is desirable that f om a constructional point the plates or leavesshould be sufficiently stiff to maintain their parallelism underpressure. I have found for small condensers a mesh of twenty tothirty-six to the inch an effective size; but this may be variedconsiderablyeither way and still give good results, as the number ofpounds of steam condensed by gauze leaves or plates per square foot islargelyin excess of that obtained by the most advanced forms of tubularsurface condensers, andas a consequence I can construct most effectiveapparatus in a very small space.

What I new claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for condensing steam or vapor, the combination withend plates havof fastening devices passing through the end 2. In acondenser the combination of end' plates having respectively aninlet-opening and an outlet-opening in them, with a series of laminae ofconducting material arranged in the intervening space, and adapted toallow the passage of vapor through them, and fastening devicesconnecting thesaid laminae to the framing of the said end platessubstantially as set forth.

3. In a condenser the combination of metallic laminae adapted to allowthe passage of vapor through them, packing-rings of yieldin g materialinterposed between said laminze,

and fastening devices securing the same, with fixed parts of thecondenser to which the said fastening devices are attached and whichhave respectively an inlet and an outlet opening in them, portions ofthe said laminae being arranged and adapted to project into therefrigerating medium surrounding the condenser substantially as setforth.

4. In combination with a condenser having an inlet-opening and anoutlet-opening, aseries of laminae adapted to allow the passage of vaporthrough them and arranged between the said openings,means for fasteningthe said laminae in position, a series of resilient packing-washersinterposed between said lamina), and provided withlugs, and guidesengaging the said lugs substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a condenser a series of laminae adapted to allow the passage ofvapor through them and means for holding them in position, incombination with a casing having an inletopening and anontlet-openingand means for supplying refrigerating material to the saidcasing, the said plates being so arranged that the vapor to be condensedand the refrigeratin g material will be applied to the same side of thesaid plates substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES STEWART FORBES.

Witnessesi FRANCIS M. ROGERS, P. WATSON WALKER.

